Cannot use Microsoft Office for MAC and cannot download.

KEN MACDONALD 0 Reputation points
2026-08-05T19:17:52.65+00:00

I opened an excel spreadsheet that I had been working on and I had a message saying I had to download Microsoft 365 to be able to edit and save. I checked online and was advised to delete my current download and reinstall from my account. I deleted as advised, logged in to my account and selected my registered download. The download starts, but stalls about 560mb. What do I do? I have a perpetual licence, so you are legally obliged to provide the product I paid for or a suitable alternative..

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | MacOS
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  1. Xavier-D 11,425 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-06T02:20:49.9066667+00:00

    Hello KEN MACDONALD

    I can see that you’re having trouble reinstalling Office.

    Since the download repeatedly stops at the same point, please try the following:

    1. Move the incomplete installer to Trash, then empty the Trash.
    2. Pause any other active downloads.
    3. Open Safari, clear its website data, and make sure JavaScript is enabled.
    4. Sign in to Microsoft 365 apps with the Microsoft account linked to your perpetual licence, then select Install apps and try downloading again.
    5. Do not install Word or Excel from the Mac App Store, as those versions require a Microsoft 365 subscription for editing and are not compatible with perpetual licences.

    If the download still stalls, please let us know the exact Office version shown under Services & subscriptions, such as Office 2019, 2021, or 2024, together with your macOS version. This will help identify the correct direct installer.

    You can also review this site for more information: What to try if you can’t install or activate Office for Mac.

    Feel free reply back to this post if you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

    Was this answer helpful?

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